China blocked a US proposal in support of India’s application to put Azhar on a UN list of designated terrorists. It was one of the Barack Obama administration’s last actions in January before President Donald Trump took over.

The proposal was finalised after consultations between Washington and New Delhi, and moved a day before Trump took oath. It was co-sponsored by Britain and France “as a fresh counter-terrorism effort, a part of a global move”, officials said.

But the Chinese show of solidarity to “iron brother” Pakistan stymied the efforts.